This Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread is EPIC! “Crack bread” is an appropriate name for this because it’s garlic bread – on crack…..
It’s basically a cheesy garlic bread, but so much more fun AND delicious! Cheese, garlic and bread – in pull apart bread form. You can’t go wrong. Guaranteed to be the most popular thing at any gathering you take it to!
A CHEESY PULL APART GARLIC BREAD
“You will never be able to look at garlic bread the same again….”
If you haven’t tried this Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread before, let me warn you now: garlic bread will never be the same again. It’s like a pull apart bread, but tastes like garlic bread plus you have the mozzarella cheese which stretches wonderfully as you pull bits off.
This is INSANELY delicious. I especially love the way the bread is cut into diamond shapes so you can tear bite size pieces off. Every piece is garlicky and buttery and oh-so-cheesy…….
“Kids go NUTS over this…. and adults turn INTO kids when they get stuck into this!!”
This is one the kids go NUTS over, don’t say I didn’t warn you! And grown ups turn into little kids when they get stuck into this. I made this for a dinner and let me tell you, it took 5 hands about 30 seconds to demolish this!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST CHEESY BREAD IN THE WORLD!
Best bread – The best bread to use for Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread is crusty sourdough or another dense type of bread, but it works well with plain crusty loaves as well.
The reason it works better with sourdough is because the bread is denser so the bread tends to hold together better when you pull bits off. But believe me, there is no compromise on flavour if you use other types of bread! In fact, in the photo I chose to use a crusty Vienna loaf because it was on special.
Best cheese – I really recommend using mozzarella cheese for this, you want it to stretch and pull when you tear the pieces off.
Other flavourings – I kept the flavours quite simple, going for a garlic bread with cheese, but you can go really wild with the flavours for this! Ranch dressing, kick of chilli, other herbs – the possibilities are endless!
When it comes out of the oven, it’s all golden, crusty and buttery on the inside and you know that’s just the start of the eating experience that’s about to commence….
….then the devouring begins…. that cheesy pull! That buttery, garlicky bread!! And yet, and yet, there’s even more to come….
THE BASE IS THE BEST BIT!!
Everybody goes so nuts over the cheese bits that you pull out, but my favourite part is the base of the bread. All the butter and cheese drips to the bottom and it bakes so nice and crispy…..
PULL APART BREAD for parties!
This is a great centrepiece for a dinner that could just be accompanied by a fresh salad to make a complete meal. Or as a fabulous appetiser or party food – think game day!
It’s by far the most requested party food by my family and friends. I usually make it at home then take it to the venue and bake it there. The best way to make ahead is to use softened butter instead of melted butter and slather it into the cracks, then stuff with cheese. Wrap and bake before serving.
But you can even bake it in advance then reheat quickly in the microwave as long as you use a crusty sourdough. The crust gets so crusty when you bake it, it stays crusty even if you reheat it in the microwave.
Go forth and enjoy! Make this cheesy garlic bread once, and you’ll be asked to make it again and again and again…. – Nagi x
CHEESE and GARLIC CRACK BREAD
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread (Pull Apart Bread)
Ingredients
- 1 crusty loaf , preferably sourdough or Vienna
- 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese (or other melting cheese)
Garlic Butter
- 100 g / 1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter , softened
- 2 large garlic cloves , minced
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley , finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Combine butter, garlic and salt in a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave. Stir through parsley.
- Cut the bread on a diagonal into 2cm/1″ diamonds but do not cut all the way through the bread.
- Use your fingers or a knife to pry open each crack and drizzle in a teaspoon of butter and stuff in a pinch of cheese. This might sound like a bit of an effort, but I promise you it is worth it! You don’t need to be super neat, it’s nice to have some of the butter drizzled over the crust.
- Brush surface with remaining butter.
- Wrap with foil and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese has mostly melted, then unwrap and bake for 5 – 10 minutes more to make the bread nice and crusty.
- Serve immediately. (See note 1 for best make ahead methods)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Yesterday, today, tomorrow… #HardLifeOfDozer
I took my chance, whole wheat Sourdough bread was even better. It was center piece of attraction together with Christmas Trifle, from pomegranate. It was superior to cranberry for our taste.
Made for the first time today. It is amazing! Used an artisan Italian bread loaf- all I could find on Christmas Eve. I added diced salami & pepperoni, and used a mozzarella/provolone mix. Next time I’ll distribute the butter a little better and add a bit more cheese (I eyeballed that and went a little light, I think, but not bad for a first time attempt). My sons shared/finished a loaf and they each took another half loaf home for later. My husband claimed the 3rd loaf (made with asiago cheese bread) and that won’t survive the evening. Thank you for sharing this recipe, it’s an instant new favorite!
Just wondering how would the cheese garlic crack bread taste with whole wheat sourdough bread?
The best and most delicious garlic bread that is loved by all my friends.
This was delicious. A big hit at the family lunch I made it for!
I have made this a few times and love it. I use an electric knife to cut the loaf so it doesn’t squash down
Some time song I tried to make this dish, but failed. after reading your article I want to try to make it myself one more time.
My SIL made this at our large fam’s Mother’s Day get together and it was soooo delicious!! I am not a huge bread eater but this was out of this world! I’m making it tonight to go along with a Greek salad with shrimp. THANK YOU
It is SOOOOOOO addictive!! N x
It looks very delicious and suitable for dinner with the family
I checked out Chrissy Teigen’s Armadillo Bread recipe. Although it had WAY TOO MUCH of almost everything, I used some of her ideas with your recipe — 4 crushed garlic cloves, ~1/2 t chili flakes, and grated parm — and stuffed myself silly. This is hands-down the BEST thing to do with a round loaf of bread.
Thanks. Pretty sure you got the servings a bit off here Nagi. My partner, ravenous toddler and I just polished this off with joy (though maybe if we shared it with 8 people I’d be moving a little better right now)
So so good…. Even if you shared it with the suggested numbers I’m sure! 😋
Ha ha ha!! Love that you scarfed it down!!! N x
made this many times from ‘christy teigen’s’recipe… very similiar but w/more ingredients like parm. cheese..it is soo diicious i cannot stop eating it!
Delicious and was certainly a hit at the BBQ. Thanks again Nagi
This is delicious! It also looks so impressive. It’s the best garlic bread I have made. I added more cheese for our personal tastes.
Yes extra cheese make it more yammy
Lovd you rg recioes
Thanks admin to keep it up , Amazing work .
3d result today
What is the perfect way to store left over and abt re-heating without making it too hard by putting in over again? Microwave?
Left overs?
Hi Joanna – see the notes in the recipe for making ahead and reheating. N x
Omg this is to die for will never change this method now I’ve used it
I’ve addled chilli flakes with the grated cheese
Different level if you like a chilli kick as a extra
I used your “Speedy Tip” and
that really makes things easier. Also, I make the cheese in thin pieces and it is much easier to put in the cracks than the shredded cheese. Keep up the good work!
Great tip Sharon! Thanks! N x
Hi! I will be making this Christmas afternoon for a friend get-together, but I have a very busy morning that day. If I use the first make-ahead suggestion with softened butter, can I refrigerate it for 24 hours prior to going to my Christmas get-together to bake it? Or is that too long in the refrigerator? Thank you!
Hello, this sounds amazing! If I have a frozen loaf of Italian bread, would it work all the same? I’m just not sure how to thaw the bread without ruining it. And should I bake/warm it up after defrosting before making the garlic bread? Thanks!
HI Catherine – just keep the bread tightly wrapped while thawing so you don’t lose any moisture. Then cut it and stuff as per the recipe then bake! N x